


The Aggrievance of Hazuki Nagisa

by SEMellark



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Snark, but what else is new, nagisa's in love and rei's an idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 12:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4101556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SEMellark/pseuds/SEMellark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nagisa is aggrieved. Which, by the way, is just a roundabout way of saying he’s hopelessly infatuated and needs to get a hand on Rei’s dick before he dies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Aggrievance of Hazuki Nagisa

**Author's Note:**

> I ship Nagisa and Rei waayy too much considering the fact that Makoto and Haru own 99.9% of my soul. 
> 
> Companion piece to "The Agony of Nanase Haruka" since the background reigisa in that fic wasn't enough for me or anyone else.

Nagisa is aggrieved and has been since the day he first met Ryuugazaki Rei.

For a guy who can’t function without logic, there is literally none to be found in anything Rei does. He’s at the top of their class, captain of the swim club, and the underclassmen regard him with such awe and reverence it almost reduces Nagisa to tears, because it’s just _so hilarious_ to him that everyone thinks Rei is the coolest guy ever when in reality he’s a huge dork.

No one would believe Nagisa if he decided to spill all of Rei’s darkest secrets, like how he exfoliates his skin and physically cannot sleep at night unless he’s wearing socks and has at least three fans going. Or that he can rattle off all the ways to have sex with someone without fumbling but still gets tongue-tied when Nagisa gets too close for comfort.

Sometimes Nagisa can see where everyone else is coming from, catches a glimpse of what Rei could be if he weren’t so… himself, but _only_ when Rei shakes water out of his hair after he swims – if he looks eerily similar to Haru when he does it, Nagisa isn’t saying anything – or when he’s diligently helping the underclassmen refine their strokes, buying Nagisa his favorite popsicle after school, placing his hand on the small of the blond’s back when he wants his attention…

So, okay, Rei can be suave when he isn't trying. But it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a loser. The biggest loser. The _best kind_ of loser.

And Nagisa is aggrieved. Which, by the way, is just a roundabout way of saying he’s hopelessly infatuated and needs to get a hand on Rei’s dick before he _dies._

It’s a work in progress, but not because Nagisa is unsure of how Rei will react, because that’s just dumb. He _knows_ if he were to, say, climb Rei like a tree and refuse to let go, the other boy wouldn’t do much to stop him. Hell, he’d probably just help Nagisa get comfortable.

But there’s no way he’s going to just let his feelings remain unsaid, unlike _some_ people he knows. Nagisa just wants his confession to Rei to be noteworthy, something they can look back on and hopefully laugh about, because the one thing Nagisa treasures above all else about his relationship with Rei is that they can laugh.

It’s just so _difficult,_ keeping it all to himself when he’s practically bubbling over with these feelings he has for his closest friend. It doesn’t help that essentially everyone knows, Makoto and Haru, Rin and Kou, the underclassmen, and practically everyone they’ve ever met. Rei could probably figure it out if he weren’t so obtuse about these things, but it’s just another quality of his that Nagisa finds endearing.

Oh, how he does enjoy pulling the wool over Rei-chan’s bespectacled eyes.

So, Nagisa bides his time, blatantly schmoozes to the best of his ability, but weeks go by and Rei doesn’t seem any closer to getting the freaking hint. Short of shoving his tongue down the guy’s throat, Nagisa is almost at a loss.

It doesn’t help matters any that none of his friends are even remotely helpful. Rin has dumb ideas, and that means something, coming from Nagisa, who isn’t above admitting that sometimes the things that come out of his own mouth are just plain _odd_. Kou just wants to watch the world burn, Makoto’s the epitome of wet blanket, and Haru’s just… Haru.

“Makoto is not the epitome of a wet blanket.”

“Why is that what you focus on?” Nagisa demands, stretching his fingertips so they brush against the rug by his bed. The pounding in his head is starting to get a bit distracting, but the blond really does think better when he hangs upside down on his bed like this. “I am literally dying of thirst here, Haru-chan, the least you could do is pretend that you care.”

“Oh, I care. Immensely.” Haru says in his usual deadpan tone, and Nagisa does actually miss this, the older boy’s calm in the midst of chaos. “So much so that I’m going to be late to practice because I’m still sitting here talking to you.”

“Don’t let Mako-chan find out. He’d give you the ‘I disapprove of your life choices’ look.” Nagisa shudders, and even if he can’t see him, he knows that Haru is doing the same. “What am I going to do? I’ve pulled all the stops. I even brought his mom _flowers_ the last time I went over for dinner. She gave me a condom once, you know, when Rei-chan was in the bathroom. I’m pretty sure she thinks we’re already a thing.”

Haru hums, sounding almost distracted. “You could use a few lessons in subtlety.”

Nagisa snorts, rolling his eyes. “Normally I would agree, but _you’re_ the one who’s been telling people that you’re married to Mako-chan when you haven’t even told him that you love him yet. Who’s got more going for him here, you or me?”

“ … It’s not like I’m saying I’m married to him explicitly.”

“Yeah, but it’s heavily implied.”

“Whatever, this isn’t about me.” Haru huffs, and Nagisa snickers into his phone’s receiver, maneuvering himself back into a sitting position on the bed when the blood running to his face gets to be a bit much. “Look, you know Rei better than any of us. You know what he will and won’t respond to. Just go with your instincts, or something. If his mom is giving you condoms, you really have nothing to lose.”

“Um, what about my dignity? If Rei-chan rejects me, I’ll never hear the end of it from Gou-chan.”

“He’s not going to reject you.” Haru replies blandly. “Remember when he learned all the strokes just to make us happy? Remember how breaststroke was the one he worked on the hardest? Remember how – “

“Okay, okay, I get it, Rei-chan most likely has a flame for me.”

“It’s a torch. A massive torch. Makoto and I can see it from Tokyo.”

“Soo, I just have to stoke the flames, yeah?”

“I think I’m done with this metaphor.” Haru’s tone is one thousand percent _done,_ and Nagisa smiles to himself, uninhibited, already feeling much better about his life. “I have to get to practice, but do something about Rei before you die of thirst or whatever, alright?”

“I could say the same thing to you about Mako-chan, you know.”

“Good _bye,_ Nagisa.”

They’re both hopeless, Nagisa thinks as he ends the call, but at least neither of them is alone in their agony.

* * *

The next phase in the Hazuki Nagisa Master Plan involves food, because his older sisters always told him that the quickest way to a man’s heart was through his dick, and if that wasn’t an option, the stomach was the next best thing.

Rei’s picky about what he eats, wants to maintain his perfect physique and all that jazz, so Nagisa racks his brain periodically throughout the day trying to think of a place that will cater to Rei’s health conscious decisions.

It takes some time, but eventually Nagisa recalls a place that Rin used to mention a lot before he graduated. He’d mainly bring it up whenever Haru was around, subtly trying to encourage him to eat something other than mackerel, because he was the only person aside from Makoto who would _dare_ try to mother Haru.

Nagisa brings it up after swim practice, attaching himself to Rei’s bicep as he’s usually wont to do, though this time he’s mostly distracted by the water rolling along the curves of Rei’s muscles.

“You’re sure, Nagisa?” Rei asks, expression slightly dubious. He’s recently dropped the honorifics, and Nagisa is silently ecstatic. Maybe he’s making progress after all. “To be honest, that doesn’t seem like a place you’d enjoy. And don’t you have a test to study for tonight?”

“I can do that later – “ Nagisa begins, but _of course_ Kou chooses that moment to walk by, eyes wandering over Rei’s arms in a manner Nagisa pointedly ignores out of the goodness of his heart.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” She harps, wagging a finger in Nagisa’s face. “If your test scores drop any lower, you won’t be able to swim at competitions. Rei may ignore your poor work ethic, but _I_ won’t.”

Nagisa sees a couple of first years shifting nervously off to the side. They all know better than to interject when their Manager and Vice-Captain get going, but the tension is never enough to send them running like it should. Nagisa thinks they just like good gossip.

“I’m really glad Gou-chan cares about my grades.” Nagisa chirps, refusing to relinquish his hold on Rei’s arm. “But I’ve got it under control. Promise!”

Kou doesn’t really react anymore when Nagisa teases her like this. Her only response is to cross her arms over her chest, slightly quirk an eyebrow, and lift her judgmental gaze to the boy positioned awkwardly between them. “ _Rei.”_

“She has a point.” Rei begins reluctantly, and Nagisa wants to _scream._ “I wouldn’t feel right wasting your valuable study time.”

“But I – “ Rei’s expression is unmoved, but his eyes are impossibly warm and kind, so Nagisa shuts right the hell up.

“We can go tomorrow instead.” Rei says, ever one to compromise, and his tone holds so much promise, so maybe not all is lost.

But Kou, bless her heart, simply can’t or refuses to read the atmosphere. “Actually, Nagisa’s on cleanup duty with me after class tomorrow. Last time he skipped out, he got detention. One more of those and he’ll be banned from club activities for at least a month.”

Heaving a huge sigh, Nagisa nuzzles his forehead against Rei’s bicep. “Remind me to never initiate anything when Gou-chan is around, Rei-chan.”

Rei is quiet for a time. “Initiate… what, exactly?”

“You’re adorable.” Kou drawls, and for once, she and Nagisa are actually on the same page.

* * *

Nagisa's favorite part of every day is when he and Rei ride the train home together.

Technically speaking, it’s not all that fun, and Nagisa generally dislikes the press of large bodies all around him, but at least he gets to stand close to Rei when all the seats are taken.

It doesn’t normally happen, for the evening trains aren’t as packed full of people as the morning ones are, but when Nagisa boards after Rei and notices the lack of empty seats, he can’t deny the excited thrill that shoots up his spine.

Truthfully, it’s not like he even needs an excuse to press close to Rei. He does it all the time for no real reason anyway, and Rei never says anything. It’s one of those little things that gave Nagisa hope in the beginning, and now it just solidifies his belief that Rei feels the same way. No one else gets to invade Rei’s personal space like that.

So, there are no empty seats. Wonderful. Amazing. The bad news is that Rei has one of those miniature dictionaries in his hand, studying for an English exam nearly a week away, and Nagisa knows that doesn’t bode well for his increasing desire to have all of Rei’s attention at every given moment.

Rei grips the handhold with one hand while he continues to hold up his English dictionary with the other, and as the train jerks into motion, Nagisa gives into temptation and grabs Rei’s arm, using it to steady himself.

Slight though it is, Nagisa feels it when Rei tenses. Violet eyes slide over to him cautiously, and Nagisa grins, flexing his fingers.

“Nagisa.” Rei says slowly. “You do realize there’s a handhold right above you?”

“Yeah, but I’ve seen this in movies and anime. Always wanted to try it.” Nagisa replies. “It’s romantic, don’t you think?”

He’s surprised but also not when Rei regards him for a few more moments before returning back to his dictionary. It’s hard to remove him from his studying headspace when he gets like that. “I suppose.”

Nagisa sighs to himself, not entirely disheartened considering the circumstances, and settles in for the ride.

* * *

There comes a time in every man’s life when he just has to stand up and ask the important questions.

Nagisa has long since reached that point.

Does he love Rei? Immensely. Does he want to make him his bride? Most definitely. Has he reached the do or die point, when if he doesn’t say something soon, he _will_ actually die? Well, that goes without saying.

He invites Rei over to his house under the guise of studying when he knows his parents will be out, and by the grace of _God,_ no one tries to ruin Nagisa’s plans. He’s so unused to the actual feeling of victory that he has to take a few moments once he has Rei in his bedroom to collect himself.

For a long while, Nagisa just watches Rei. He does that a lot, because watching Rei just _exist_ is… well, Nagisa enjoys it more than he should.

He can never stop himself from thinking back to those times when Rei wanted absolutely nothing to do with him or the swim team. Nagisa has always thought Rei was beautiful, back when he would secretly watch him vault over poles at track practice, and Rei himself only proved it the more Nagisa got to know him.

He really was like a butterfly in that sense, closed off in a shell of his own making and filled with so much promise, and Nagisa had seen it, _encouraged_ it, and he’d nearly cried when Rei learned to swim properly, he’d been so _proud._

Yeah, Rei’s a loser. He exfoliates his skin and sleeps with his socks on and can’t take a fucking hint to save his life, but Nagisa appreciates him. Rei will probably never know how much, the idiot.

“Can I touch your dick?”

There’s a lab report that needs doing. Rei should be unreachable, but his head snaps up so quickly at Nagisa’s words, the blond is surprised his friend didn’t give himself whiplash.

“ _Excuse me_?” Rei manages, the bridge of his nose and the tips of his ears turning a light shade of pink, but Nagisa refuses to be distracted.

“For science.” Nagisa says thickly, already shifting onto his hands and knees, and for the next half hour or so, Rei makes no move to stop him.

* * *

“Ball’s in your court. I’ve officially proved that I have more man-catching skills than you.”

“Funny, I seem to remember you meeting Rei three years ago. Meanwhile Makoto and I – “

Nagisa shakes his head minutely, slowly, because Rei is playing with the hairs at the nape of his neck and he _really_ wants that to continue. “Nu-uh, quality over quantity, Haru-chan. I actually have a boyfriend and you’ve got a best friend-mother-caregiver who _sometimes_ lets you sleep in his bed. I _totally_ win.”

“We weren’t even competing.” Haru retorts, as close to irritated as he can get with Nagisa. “Makoto and I don’t need to talk about it. He knows.”

“Does he?” Nagisa inquires, shifting his gaze to Rei, who tries to hide his sheepish smile in one of Nagisa’s fluffiest pillows. He’s like a puppy, hiding from what he thinks he did wrong, and Nagisa kind of wants to smother him, so he does in the best way possible, with nuzzling and kisses that leave Haru grumbling uncomfortably on his end of the line. “You shouldn’t make assumptions when it comes to love.”

“Thanks for the advice, but we’re _fine._ ”

“Okay, sure, you’re fine. I hear ya. Oh, by the way, how’s your marriage coming along, Haru-chan?”

The angry drone of the dial tone greets Nagisa’s completely innocent inquiry, and he’s laughing as he tosses his phone to the foot of the bed, diving into Rei’s arms.

“So, Haruka has really been telling his classmates at university that he’s married to Makoto?”

“Only when they try to confess their feelings to him.” Nagisa explains into the jut of Rei’s collarbone. “And I feel like Haru-chan would want me to point out that he never _explicitly_ says Mako-chan’s name.”

“But it’s heavily implied.”

Nagisa grins, sliding his leg in-between Rei’s own and settling in for a few hours of aggressive cuddling before his parents get home. “You really are a man after my own heart.”

**Author's Note:**

> Literally couldn't help the 50% Off reference, I regret absolutely nothing


End file.
